For the first time in the country, Brado transported cotton from farms in Mato Grosso by rail to the port of Itaguaí (RJ) for export. The operation took place in early July and was developed by Brado together with its partners. The first load was exported on a test basis to the Sepetiba Tecon terminal with its final destination in Bangladesh, in Asia.
“This new route is a milestone in Brazilian logistics, showing that there is potential and alternatives to diversify routes, ports and transportation modes, seeking sustainability, safety and quality of service,” says Ronney Maniçoba, Brado’s Sales Manager. “And this was only possible with the union and collaboration of partners who, like Brado, believed in this possibility: MRS, Maersk, Sepetiba Tecon and Cargill, which invested in the solution and provided the cargo for this first test operation.”
The combination of Brado and MRS rail operations for this transport will avoid the emission of around 177 tons of CO2 per trip, equivalent to the annual emissions of 38 vehicles. It would take 1.264 trees to absorb this amount of carbon.
The test trip of the new route transported 40 wagons, which carried 40 containers loaded with just over a thousand tons of cotton lint.
“Decarbonizing the supply chain is essential to make Brazilian products increasingly competitive in the international market. Having partners committed to the same goal, working to strengthen multimodality, allows us to open a new logistics flow for the flow of cotton production, aiming to meet the demands of our customers,” says Ellen Molina, Multimodal Manager at Cargill.
The operation began in the cotton mills of Mato Grosso, where the cotton was loaded onto trucks, which traveled up to 780 km to the Brado terminal in Rondonópolis. There, the cargo was transferred from the truck to the container – known as crossdocking. Once loaded onto the Brado train, the containers traveled 1.392 km by rail to Sumaré (SP), where Brado has another multimodal terminal, a logistics integration hub for the railway.
The containers were then transferred to the MRS train and continued the journey, for 568 km, to the Sepetiba Tecon terminal, in the Port of Itaguaí (RJ), where the train was unloaded directly inside the port area for loading the containers onto Maersk ships, bound for Bangladesh.
“This partnership with Brado is a clear example of our commitment to innovation and efficiency in rail logistics. The integration of our operations not only improves the sustainability of transportation, significantly reducing CO2 emissions, but also opens up new possibilities for cargo flow and the development of logistics alternatives in Brazil,” says Marcelo Jesus, General Cargo Manager at MRS.
"Our terminal was designed with rail sidings totaling almost two kilometers, ensuring high productivity in operations. In addition, we offer container stuffing, bonded warehouse and ship operation services, with maritime routes to various destinations, with drafts of up to 15,4 meters. With this, we meet the required operational requirements and, together with the other partners in this operation, we have become the best option for producers", says Guilherme Vidal, general manager of Sepetiba Tecon.
In the last cotton harvest (August/22 to July/23), Brado's market share reached 19% of all cotton transportation in Brazil and 29% in Mato Grosso, the Brazilian state that accounts for the largest production and export of the product. “Today, the relevance of Brado's multimodal rail-based solution for the cotton chain is clear, whether from Rondonópolis (MT) or Anápolis (GO), or leaving through the port of Santos or Itaguaí”, says Ronney Maniçoba.
The solution also had the support and mediation of the Mato Grosso Cotton Producers Association (AMPA). “Together, we are creating a promising alternative to optimize the flow of Mato Grosso’s growing production,” says Erai Maggi Scheffer, CEO of AMPA. “This diversification of modes and ports guarantees a level of service and quality throughout the Brazilian cotton chain,” he adds.
In the future, the operation has the potential to transport other cargoes besides cotton for export and also to transport imported cargo to Sumaré or Rondonópolis and consumer goods to Mato Grosso.
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The models feature classic features and incorporate modern manufacturing techniques; they have a wooden grip and a firing pin integrated directly into the hammer.
